


In A Cat's Eye

by christinefromsherwood



Series: 007 Fest 2020 [13]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Cat POV, Dialogue, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, M/M, so I made the cat have a character arc?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25203829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christinefromsherwood/pseuds/christinefromsherwood
Summary: The Stray was leaving, Éclair noted with some pleasure. He was big and strange and always in the way and Éclair hated him.She absolutely loathed him.Even if he smelled nice. Sometimes.
Relationships: James Bond/Q
Series: 007 Fest 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1809718
Comments: 30
Kudos: 124
Collections: 007 Fest Fancreations





	In A Cat's Eye

**Author's Note:**

> written for the Prompt Table: Fluff - Orchestrate and the anon prompt #48/2020 - Q's cat runs away to find that nice smelling friendly human who made Dad so happy the few times he came over

The Stray was leaving, Éclair noted with some pleasure. He was big and strange and always in the way and Éclair hated him. 

She absolutely  _ loathed _ him. 

Even if he smelled nice. Sometimes.

He’d tried to pet her head the night before. The affront! Naturally, she didn’t let that happen and hissed at him until he withdrew his meaty paw from her vicinity. 

Only for some reason Her Human had looked very sad after that and The Stray went to pet him instead, and after a while their movements got so unpredictable and loud that Éclair had gone to sit in the kitchen so as not to get her tail stuck in between their trashing limbs. 

It had seemed like the most prudent decision at the time as she was about to receive her goodnight treat and cuddle any minute. ONLY THEN SHE HADN’T! 

There had been no goodnight treat and  _ no cuddle _ ! 

Éclair had been forgotten and abandoned and The Stray made the bedroom stink so bad she couldn’t bear to put one paw on her usual spot between the pillows. 

Éclair was very pleased to see him go finally. She just wished he’d hurry it up. But no, he insisted on rubbing himself up against Her Human for an eternity. 

Luckily when she swished her tail at him he didn’t try to do the same to her. 

But her plan was working, he was leaving, and soon, if she had her way, he might never return to disturb Her Home ever again!

* * *

“I should go in and kit you out.”

“It’s your day off, darling, stay here with Murder Cat and relax.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry about that, James. I really didn’t expect her to be so territorial and-”

“Q, it’s fine, she’ll come around.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”

“Darling... Come here. R has my things ready and this really is a milk run. Stay at home, go back to sleep.”

“I suppose…I just...” 

“I know. And it is strange that Maxwell changed his mind so suddenly, but he must have realised stalling wouldn’t get him a better deal. I’ll see you in two days, love.”

“You better.”

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind The Stray, Éclair took her rightful place on Her Human’s lap, and purred to let him know that she forgave him for his callousness the night before and that there was really no reason to be sad. 

This was a happy occasion. 

The sun streaming through the window hit her fur in just the right spot and Éclair flopped on her back and stretched out her paws to meet it. Finally, finally, Her Human went to bury his fingers in the fur on her belly. Éclair decided to allow it, just this once; he smelled so sad. 

Still, the rest of the day was lovely. Her Human aired out the bedroom and changed the sheets and wasn’t it just perfect to curl up on fresh linen and go to sleep? 

Éclair had spent so much of last night actively hating The Stray, it took up all her energy. She needed to get more rest to be ready for battle when he inevitably returned. 

He always returned. ( _ So far _ .) Éclair could smell the evidence of that even as she was curled up in her favourite spot on the bed. His stink had managed to seep deep into the mattress; there was no getting it out now. 

Éclair supposed she could live with it... for now. It wasn’t such a bad smell when there was only a little of it, she thought as she burrowed her nose deeper. Mainly, because only a little bit of the stink meant that The Stray was not actually present. 

Éclair was born of a long line of excellent mousers and the fact that she herself had never had many opportunities to sink her teeth into bloody, squealing, thrashing prey didn’t mean her instinct for the hunt was any lesser. 

She knew the importance of waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Giving a loud purr as Her Human settled on the bed beside her to begin his day-long play of click-clacking on the warm, shiny thing, Éclair closed her eyes and let herself fall into a deep slumber. 

She dreamt sweet dreams of blood and cracking bones and protecting her territory from all strays.

* * *

“Wha- Eve?! What?! What do you  _ mean _ you lost contact?”

“I’m sorry, Q, we-”

“This was supposed to be a milk run! Meet Maxwell, get his information, come back! How?!”

“Q, love, Bond went dark before he even arrived in Morocco!”

“You mean, you’ve got... _ nothing _ ?!”

“Yes.”

“Eve, he was  _ on a plane _ ! On a regular scheduled flight! People don’t just disappear from thirty thousand feet in the air! Where’s the-”

“We’ve detained the crew and the passengers, but…”

“ _ Nothing _ ?”

“I’m sorry, love. But we’ve got your whole branch looking, I’ll let you-”

“I’m coming in.”

“Q... You know M won’t like this. You’re...  _ compromised. _ ”

“Mallory can kiss my arse.”

* * *

Waking up at Her Human’s loud cursing, Éclair first let out a dissatisfied meow, then she jumped to all fours, ears back, tail swishing as she watched him tear through the bedroom.

Something had happened; there was salt and anger in the air. Éclair did  _ not _ like this. 

She let out her thinnest, most plaintive meow, and then two large hands were picking her up and Her Human’s eyes were big and salt-watery and his Not-Eyes dug into her ribs as he buried his face in her fur. She wriggled uncomfortably and listened to him rumble something, ending on a loud sob.

He was leaving again!

No!

Éclair knew what she must do. She ran. 

Her Human tried to make a grab for the thin black bag but Éclair was faster and pounced on the dead cow, digging her claws in. 

_ No _ .

She was not letting go, no matter how many annoyed sounds he made. 

* * *

“Éclair, sweetheart, I really don’t have time for this.”

“...”

“Éclair! Let go!”

“...”

“Love, I need to go. I have to find him and _ there is no time _ !”

“Mrrrrrroaaaw!”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, alright. Have it your way!”

* * *

Éclair didn’t like the Big-Loud-Place-With-Many-People where Her Human sometimes took her when he made her sit in the Flying-Box-With-Holes. In fact, it was only a little bit more bearable than the Place-With-Cold-Floors-And-Torture. 

There were simply too many people. And they often--Éclair shuddered from the tips of her whiskers to the end of her tail--wanted to  _ touch her. _ (Dangly-Hair-Nasty-Smell was the worst, always grabbing.)

Éclair couldn’t help but note that that wasn’t the case today. She’d moved preemptively to Her Place atop the highest file cabinet, but no one had paid any attention to her. Even Dangly-Hair-Nasty-Smell was hunched over her click-clacking game and didn’t look up when they’d walked past.

Her Human still smelled sad and upset, even when she jumped down, climbed on the back of his chair and rubbed her head against his ear. 

He  _ always _ loved when she did that! 

But this time, he whined something thin and desperate AND THEN HE TURNED AROUND AND PICKED HER UP AND  _ PUT HER DOWN ON THE FLOOR _ ?!

Well!

Éclair certainly wasn’t going to stay where she wasn’t wanted!

Setting herself a casual, meandering pace, Éclair walked out of the door, tail high and curled at the tip.

This was unprecedented, she thought as she wandered the halls. This was unheard off! She’d never been treated in such a way! 

...Her Human had never been so distressed. 

She didn’t like it. 

He didn’t smell  _ right _ . 

And suddenly she had it. Suddenly, Éclair knew. 

_ This was The Stray’s fault!  _

There was no doubt about it. Her Human had always smelled lovely and nice and happy when The Stray was around. But then he left! 

Éclair swished her tail angrily, hating The Stray more than ever. Why did he have to leave and make Her Human so unhappy?!

The next time she saw him, she was going to… she was going to… she was going to sit on him and dig her claws in! It had worked with the dead cow bag! He simply wasn’t going to be allowed to leave Her Human!

_ CRASH!! _

Fur bristling, Éclair let out a loud yell. What was that-?! She should run and hide! She should scratch its eyes out! She should-

Oh!

It was The Stray. 

Of course, it was, Éclair thought haughtily. He’d tried to jump from the hole high in the wall and couldn’t manage a landing. What an embarrassment to the human race.

She meowed her derision at him and saw him jerk his head up in surprise. 

Well, go on get up then, we’re going, she thought and meowed again. She’d pick him up and carry him to show Her Human, only he was inconveniently large. 

He rumbled something back at her and laughed, but he still wasn’t getting up. The idiot. 

And then Éclair realised that The Stray didn’t smell right either. He smelled like blood (but not the tasty kind) and a dirty, weak mouse--the kind that was too pathetic to play with anymore and only good for eating.

Letting out an annoyed chirp, Éclair went to plaster herself against his chest and began her Healing Purr. The Stray simply couldn’t be allowed to die and leave Her Human. 

He laughed again and went to pet her neck. Éclair threw him an evil look and purred all the louder. Just because she didn’t want him to leave didn’t mean she  _ liked _ him. 

She could never like someone so pathetic that he couldn’t even raise his arm to give her a proper scratch on the side of her head! So  _ weak _ …

Too weak!

Éclair let out an angry yowl! It echoed in the hallway and made The Stray do weird shush-hissing noises and grab at her. Jumping off, she screamed again. 

Was no one else there?! Why wasn’t Her Human coming?! 

Éclair shrieked. 

Did she need to do everything herself?

And then she heard hurried steps. 

Finally! 

She ran to greet Her Human.

Only… it  _ wasn’t _ Her Human. It was Dangly-Hair-Nasty-Smell.

The Stray growled. Éclair froze before slowly moving back. Closer to him. 

Dangly-Hair-Nasty-Smell laughed in a way that Éclair didn’t like. 

She knew what was going to happen even before she saw the long, shiny claw. She knew what being on a hunt looked like. 

The Stray growled something again and tried to push Éclair away and Éclair felt her whiskers tremble. 

She hissed at Dangly. She growled!  _ But that didn’t stop her coming! _

Éclair didn’t like this. She didn’t like being hunted and she didn’t like The Stray being hunted either! 

This was Her Human’s Stray!  _ Her _ Stray! 

No one but her was allowed to hunt Her Stray! 

Éclair roared.

* * *

“James, I hope you know I’m going to murder you when you wake up. No, really, I am. Yes, I realise that you had no safe way of contacting me once you found out Amelia was a mole, but you  _ could have gone to a fucking hospital first _ !”

“I…. couldn’t... have.”

“James! Oh!  _ You _ !!”

“...”

“You’re such a prick. You nearly  _ bled out _ !”

“Her desk... was right outside... your office. I had to… make sure that-”

“You’re an idiot, just… the complete worst. I really fucking hate you, you know.”

“I know, darling, I know. Don’t cry. Look at the bright side. Your Murder Cat likes me now.”

“Her name is Éclair and she saved your life. You should use it.”

“Darling, I’m not going to call a 15-pound creature that tore up a woman’s face with her claws  _ Éclair _ , no matter how cute she looks curled up on my lap.”

* * *

Her Human smelled happy. 

Good. 

Letting out a deep, satisfied purr, Éclair closed her eyes again. She was glad Her Stray came back to Her Human but that didn’t mean she wanted to watch the strange Mouth-Licking Ritual they were so fond of performing. 

Humans…

Éclair chose a suitably squishy, strong muscle and began to knead, digging her claws in subtly. 

Everyone _seemed_ happy, but there was nothing wrong with making sure. It had worked on the dead cow bag.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this was indeed the Éclair from my 00q headcanon [On Inspiration. ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25161496) You are welcome to give it a read if you want. :)


End file.
